Tile.



A L. FLOW. Patented Sept. 2,' I902.

TILE.

(Application filed Feb. (No Model.) 26, 1902.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

ALFRED L. FLOOD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAML. WEBER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,470, datedSeptember 2, 1902.

Application filed February 26, 1902. Serial No. 95,647. N model.)

T0 at whont it may concern.-

. Be itknown that I, ALFRED L. FLOOD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tiles, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to tiles for floors, walls, steps, and the like,and has for its object to provide a new and improved construction ofthis description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein-Figure 1 is a view showing one form of tile. Fig. 2 is a view showing aseries of such tiles in position. Fig. 3 is a View showing a modifiedconstruction.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

My present invention relates particularly to interlocking tiles adaptedto be fastened together so as to form a substantially continuoussurface.

The tiles may be made of any suitable or desired material, and variouscolors may be used in making up the surface, so as to secure a greatvariety of designs.

One of the advantages of my present invention is that I provide thetilesof any given area of a uniform size, each tile having the samesurface area, thus giving uniformity and symmetry in making up thedesigns by means of different-colored tiles. This also greatly cheapensthe manufacture and facilitates the laying and secures other advantages.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a tile A, provided with two interlockingprojections A and two recesses A The recesses are shaped to receive theinterlocking projections. This shape, of course, may be varied; but itshould be such that when the tiles are brought in proper relation toeach other they are locked together. It will be noted that in this tilethe number of recesses and the number of projections are equal. Therecesses and interlocking projections are preferably symmetricallylocated with relation to the edges of the tiles, being preferably at themiddle point between the corners. In making up a given surface I use aseries of tiles like the one shown in Fig. 1, the tiles being alluniform, and they may be exactly alike, except as for color or otherdesign varying quality. These tiles are then interlocked when broughtinto proper relation, as shown in Fig. 2, and a surface is thereforeformed of like or uniform tiles, each having the same surface area, andhence a symmetrical appearance is obtained. It will be seen that byvarying the color of the tiles I may secure any desired design and thatthis design will present a pleasing and uniform appearance, and hence abalanced effect is insured. This permits me to use one tile, as it were,in making up the surface, thus greatly cheapening the manufacture andfacilitating the handling and laying of the tiles. The material fromwhich the tiles are made will of course depend upon the conditions metand the results desired, and it may be an elastic material or anon-elastic material.

In Fig. 3 a tile of difierent shape is shown, the tile being hexagonal.It will be noted, however, that on any given tile the projections Aareequal to the recesses A and that a balanced symmetrical effect isproduced. It will also be noticed that only one form of tile isnecessary and that the tiles fit together to make up the surface.

It will thus be seen that a large variety of shapes may be used andstill a single form used to make the surface in any given instance, andI have not attempted to illustrate the variety of shapes, but haveconfined the drawings to two distinct shapes for the purpose ofillustrating this feature.

It will be seen that by means of my invention I am enabled to make afloor, wall, or other surface of uniform interlocking tiles,so as to geta balanced symmetrical eflect. It is evident, however, that the entirefloor or wall area in any given instance is not necessarily made up ofthe same tiles, but a given area of this surface will be made up ofuniform or like tiles.

1 claim 1. A wall, floor or other surface, made up of a series ofseparate, uniform and interchangeable tiles, having marginal dovetailedrecesses and corresponding interlocking projections, one in the middleof each side and alternating around the margin, and both extendingthrough the entire tile thickness, so tending through the entire tilethickness, so that they can be locked together to form a that they canbe locked together to form a substantially continuous surface of piecessubstantially continuous surface of pieces held together against lateralstrain by such held together against lateral strain by such 15interlocking marginal parts. interlocking marginal parts, the tilesbeing 2. A Wall, floor or other surface, made up four-sided, with tworecesses on opposite marof a series of separate, uniform and interl ginsand two projections on opposite margins. changeable tiles, havingmarginal dovetailed ALFRED L. FLOOD. recesses and correspondinginterlocking pro- I Witnesses: jections, one in the middle of each sideand DONALD M. CARTER, alternating around the margin, and both eX- I A.S. WEBER.

